The Anchor Inn, Wimblington and the Straw Bear in Whittlesey have had their futures protected after their respective nominations to be placed on the list were confirmed by Fenland District Council’s cabinet yesterday (January 21).

Residents of Wimblington started a Facebook campaign in September of last year following reports that The Anchor Inn, on Norfolk Street, could be sold to make way for a Tesco convenience store.

However, restrictions have now been put on the sale of the building after councillors deemed that the pub ‘furthers the social well-being or social interests of the community,’ as per the asset of Community Value guidelines.

The pub was recently taken over by Kevin Frost and his partner Maricela Salazar, after they announced on Facebook that they were “taking on a new challenge to run The Anchor Inn in Wimblington.”

Similarly, the Straw Bear pub, which has been up for sale since February 2015, was reportedly set to be turned into housing but councillors believed that keeping the building as a public house was the “best option.”

Both pubs will now be on the list for five years, with the owners of both pubs now having to inform the council if they wish to sell.

If a group wants to buy either pub, then they will be given a period of six months to give them a chance to raise the funds.